Destiny
by Laurae
Summary: It is Shang's wedding day. Will things work out for him?
1. Chapter One

'Destiny' by Laurae  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's "Mulan" or any characters affiliated with it.  
  
Enjoy:  
  
Captain Li Shang stood in the foyer of his home wearing full armor and carrying the red plumed helmet he was required to wear. It was the day of his wedding. A wedding to a young woman he had never met. One his mother had chosen for him with the aid of a matchmaker. Tradition was the only thing that made him stay, if it weren't for that he would have mounted his horse and ridden to her a long time ago to escape from the world.  
  
All of his relatives were outside in the front garden waiting for his bride to arrive. The ceremonial red mats had been laid upon the earth to prevent her from spoiling her virtue with the evils of the earth. The entire wedding entourage was to journey to the capital city, Chang'an, to take part in the wedding feast where he would see his young bride's face for the first time.  
  
He wanted the girl in the little red carriage to be his Mulan. He longed for it with every fiber of his being, and yet, he knew that it could not be so. His bride was to be a demure porcelain doll of a woman. She would sit at home calmly running the house in the absence of her husband bearing his sons and waiting for him to return from war. That wasn't what he wanted. He wanted the girl who would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked her to. Who he could count on to argue back rather than smiling and batting her eyes at him.  
  
Shang glanced out of the window of his home. There it was, the little red carriage that held his bride. He settled his helmet on his head and stepped through the door. Several female attendants helped her out of the carriage and he walked towards her. He stood beside her as she gracefully negotiated the red mats and knelt to serve the red date tea to her new in-laws.  
  
She bowed slightly and poured tea for each of them without spilling a drop and Li Shang's mother looked at her son sternly, catching his attention. He waited for his bride to stand and then led her back to the carriage. Shang guided her inside and climbed in behind her.  
  
The newly-weds rode in silence, most of the way to Chang'an before Shang blurted out "Don't you talk?"  
  
She turned her head towards him. "That would not be proper" she murmured softly folding her hands in her lap. Shang coughed and allowed his thoughts to wander. He could see her almost as though she stood in front of him. She was fumbling for a name and hoping that he wouldn't discover her, but even then he had feelings for her. Carefully repressed feelings, loving a boy would never do for his career. Even one with skin as soft as flower petals and lips that curved upwards ever so slightly. He shook his head. This was his wedding day. He had to at least pretend to enjoy himself for the duration of the ceremonies. After that, well, he could just slip off to do his military duty and remain away for most of the year.  
  
The carriage jolted to a stop. He knew that he must face his destiny. He helped his new wife out of the carriage and gently lifted her veil revealing her face. She wore the typical white porcelain doll face paint and looked like every other bride. There was nothing special about her. No defiant twinkle in her eye, no loose tendril of hair falling into her face despite attempts to tame it. Nothing. He smiled a false smile and led her into the hall where the wedding feast was to be.  
  
She was now his future and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
~*~  
  
So, what do you think? Shall I continue? Please, feel free to review. If there are any issues with spelling or grammar, let me know please. Thank you for reading! 


	2. Chapter Two

'Destiny' by Laurae  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's "Mulan" or any characters affiliated with it. I do however own Shang's bride, Yu Tien, and Shaiming.  
  
Enjoy:  
  
A cool breeze caused Captain Li Shang's tousled hair to blow about. It was his wedding night and after his new bride, Yu Tien, had fallen asleep, he slipped away from her and come outside.  
  
The cool night air that was usually so soothing and thought clearing was doing nothing for him. All he could think of was his wife lying alone in bed, while he stood outside thinking of another woman. 'I'm not being fair to her,' thought Shang, 'she hasn't done anything wrong. But then again, neither have I." Shang looked up to the sky. "Why me?" He murmured.  
  
He didn't hear the soft footsteps creeping up behind him. "Husband, what is wrong?" Yu Tien stood before him concern in her quiet eyes. "Have I done something to upset you? If I did I, I did not mean to. I am sorry." She looked down at her feet when he tried to return her thoughtful gaze.  
  
"Yu Tien," he began watching her stare at her slipper-clad feet, "would you look at me when I'm talking to you?"  
  
She looked up startled. "What? But, that would be-"  
  
"Look, if I'm going to have to be with you everyday that I'm not in service for the rest of my life, I'm going to have to talk to you and you're going to have to answer AND we're going to do this like equals. Do you understand?"  
  
Yu Tien closed her eyes. "Shang," she said tentatively opening one eye to see his reaction. "I just, well, I was in love. But, then my father told me that he had found a match for me and they started planning my wedding, our wedding, around me. And all I wanted was to run away with him, to escape and never have to deal with this mess. But, now I'm here, and I'm yours, like a teapot or a vase."  
  
Shang groaned. He couldn't tell her about Mulan, it would hurt her even more. "I don't own you, you know. You could go to him I wouldn't stop you."  
  
Yu Tien laughed bitterly. "Do you honestly think that I would be accepted in my village again?" She settled down on a stone bench. "I would be packed up and sent back to you, so I will save myself the trouble and stay here."  
  
She watched as Shang began to pace back and forth in front of her. He seemed to forget that she was there as he moved away from her and picked his sword. It slid smoothly out of its sheath and seemed to be an extension of his arm as he executed the complicated forms. Yu Tien watched in awe as her new husband moved with his sword. It was like nothing she had ever seen. Her childhood had been that of a wealthy girl and she had been kept well sheltered from the harsh reality of the world. Shaiming was the first boy she had met that wasn't family and he was not the type to practice swordplay.  
  
Carefully, Yu Tien curled her small feet up beside her. She neatly smoothed out her robe as she sat watching Shang dance with his sword. "Husband," she called out watching him wince at the name. "It is getting cold, you should go inside before you make yourself sick."  
  
"I like the cold." He said curtly as he continued moving through the sword forms barely glancing at his wife. The blade of his sword flashed in the moonlight making the blade seem sharper than it could ever possibly be.  
  
The motion of the blade began to blur as Yu Tien watched. Her eyes began to droop and her head nodded forward slightly. By the time the first fat raindrops began to fall from the sky, she was lying down on the bench, her breathing even, and her eyes closed. Shang slid his sword back into its sheath and turned to see his wife asleep on the stone bench. His expression softened as he hung his sword from his shoulder by its strap. He moved towards her and gently lifted her small body cradling her carefully.  
  
Shang slowly moved into the house carrying Yu Tien up to their bed. He laid her down upon the scarlet sheets still in place from the obligatory consummation of their marriage. Yu Tien moved slightly causing her robe to pull open just the slightest bit. Seeing the shift that she had pulled on underneath it, Shang carefully slid the robe off and looked at her, the ivory silk of the shift was as pale as her skin in the moonlight, and, she was beautiful, even if she was not his Mulan. Shang draped the robe over a chair back and climbed into the bed beside his wife. In her sleep she moved towards the warmth of his body and he tentatively wrapped his arms around her. He gently laid a light kiss on her forehead and closed his eyes to drift off to sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
So, what do you think? Shall I continue? Please, feel free to review. If there are any issues with spelling or grammar, let me know please. Thank you for reading!  
  
The names of the two original characters are actual Chinese names, 'Yu Tien' means 'Rainy Day' and 'Shaiming' means 'Sunshine'. I would like to thank my friend Ivy for helping me pick them out, because without her help, they would be anonymous. 


	3. Chapter Three

'Destiny' by Laurae  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's "Mulan" or any characters affiliated with it. I do however own Shang's bride, Yu Tien, and Shaiming.  
  
Enjoy:  
  
Yu Tien's eyes opened slowly, she yawned softly. It was a moment before she realized that there was a man's arm wrapped tightly around her waist and that she was staring into his chest. Still another moment passed before she realized that it was just Shang.  
  
Silently Yu Tien slid out of his embrace and climbed out of bed pulling on her robe before crossing to the window and drawing the heavy drapes aside. The sun was not shining but the rain had stopped. Around the relatively empty gardens were large mud puddles. Trees and weeds overran much of the open space, she would have to do something about that. It all seemed so desolate, much like her future.  
  
Being careful not to wake her husband, Yu Tien dressed in a simple yellow silk dress. There were small white lotus blossoms stitched across the bodice and long sleeves that fluttered out behind her when she moved. Yu Tien very slowly walked across the bedroom and turned to look at Shang when she reached the doorway, his breathing was still even as he slept, now sprawled fairly haphazardly on his stomach. Stifling a laugh Yu Tien closed the door behind her as she went down to begin her day.  
  
As Yu Tien minced her way down to a breakfast of rice porridge, her maid- servant Ting Ting came up to her. "Miss, or is it Madam or maybe lao tai puo*," Ting Ting teased, "you really should put on some makeup, what if your husband sees?"  
  
"It wouldn't be anything he hadn't seen before. He put me to bed last night you know, after I went out to the gardens." A blush spread across Yu Tien's face as she thought about what had happened before they were out in the garden. It had only hurt her a bit, and Shang was very gentle. He even apologized when he finished, and said he would try never to hurt her again.  
  
"That doesn't matter, Tien. Come on." Ting Ting led Yu Tien back up to a small room near her own. All of Yu Tien's clothes and makeup were to be stored there, and it was to serve as a sort of parlor for her to have some privacy. Near the large window there was a chaise upholstered in a burgundy brocade. Yu Tien sank down into it.  
  
"Ting Ting?" She asked sounded worn and slightly older than usual.  
  
"What is it? Did he hurt you? Really, let me know, I can make an ointment for you to put on, it will take the sting out of wherever it is that he hit you.  
  
"He didn't hit me," Yu Tien said as she stood up and sank down onto a small bench in front of a mirror to apply her makeup. "Do you think that Shaiming has already forgotten me? When he heard that I was betrothed, he stopped coming around and wouldn't see me. I almost feel bad for even thinking that I could possibly be happy with Shang someday." She paused and opened a small pot before continuing. "I mean, I know that I have no choice, that one day I will become resigned to the fact that I will never ever see him again, or feel his arms around me." She brushed a soft violet powder over her eyes as she waited for Ting Ting to answer.  
  
As Ting Ting began to set her superior's hair she thought before saying, "You know, knowing him, he probably has. Shaiming always seemed to do what was best for Shaiming and nothing more." Ting Ting put the last ping into Yu Tien's hair. "You should be really grateful to have gotten someone like this as a husband, if you don't like him, he'll be away with the army most of the year."  
  
"But Ting," Yu Tien finished applying the stain to her lips. Her face glowed and there was a slight blush on her cheeks "What if I do like him?"  
  
~*~ *Old woman  
  
Sorry about the really nasty cliffhanger, well, I think it's nasty, but it could be worse I suppose.  
  
So, what do you think? Please, feel free to review. If there are any issues with spelling or grammar, let me know please. Thank you for reading!  
  
Once again I would like to thank Ivy for her help with this. Yay for Ivy! 


	4. Chapter Four

'Destiny' by Laurae  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's "Mulan" or any characters affiliated with it. I do however own Shang's bride, Yu Tien, Ting Ting, Shu Fang, and Shaiming.  
  
"What?!" Ting Ting cried. "You like him, but, how could you know. It hasn't even been a full day since you laid eyes on him!" Ting Ting walked briskly over to the window and leaned on its sill looking out,  
  
"I didn't say that." Yu Tien replied calmly. "I said 'what if'. He does seem very likeable you know." Yu Tien settled herself down on a large cushion in the corner resting her head against the wall.  
  
"I've known you nearly my whole life Tien, and I've never known you to make a hasty decision."  
  
"Ting Ting, I'm not making any hasty decisions. I just, well. I'm just deciding quickly?" Yu Tien looked at her long time friend. Although Ting Ting was her maid, she was also the only friend that she had had as a child. They grew up together and when it was announced that Yu Tien was to be married, Yu Tien's father decided that Ting Ting should go with her to continue to serve her and provide companionship.  
  
Ting Ting shook her head. "Come on, you might as well eat that porridge, it's getting cold Tien."  
  
Yu Tien stood and walked down behind Ting Ting to have her breakfast. She paused in front of the door to the bedroom where Shang slept. "Ting, I should wake him. Shouldn't I?" She gently pushed the door open and stepped inside. Sitting down on the edge of the big bed, Yu Tien reached out and touched the sleeping Shang's shoulder. He started and jolted awake, moving away defensively.  
  
Upon realizing that it was just his wife he relaxed and lie back down against the pillow. "You're up early," he yawned stretching.  
  
"It isn't early, Shang, the sun has been up for almost an hour already and your breakfast is getting cold." She folded her hands serenely in her lap and looked down at them as he rose. He crossed the room scratching his head and dressed in silks before turning to face his wife.  
  
A light blush was spread across her high cheekbones. "Eh, I'm sorry." He said sheepishly looking away. Quickly, he changed the subject. "So, you said something about breakfast?" She smiled and led him down to the kitchen  
  
A half an hour later, Yu Tien was settled down on a cushion under a tree in the garden. Small yellow flowers were growing through the moss around her. She dipped her brush into some ink and stared thoughtfully at the thick paper that she held on a board before making the first sweeping brush stroke. The lines on the paper very soon began to resemble the flowers around her and as she completed the last brush stroke, she sighed and laid the brush down.  
  
Yu Tien gazed off into the distance. Her feet were so sore and it was only the morning, she could tell that it was going to be a very bad day for her. Looking down, Yu Tien pulled her skirt up to her ankles. Her tiny feet curled up at the toe and were in tiny shoes that were only about three inches long. Today, they were blue, with small ornate flowers and birds embroidered over most of their surface. She touched one foot and winced.  
  
"Didn't that hurt?" came Shang's voice from behind her. She jumped.  
  
"What do you mean?" Yu Tien hurriedly pulled the yellow silk of her skirt over her feet.  
  
"Didn't that hurt? Your feet I mean." He sank down beside her in the grass depositing a tray with a teapot and two cups in front of her.  
  
"Well," she said slowly, "I was very little when it was done, but I can remember most of it and it was very painful."  
  
Shang poured her a cup of the hot tea and handed it to her. "Would you tell me about it? I would like to hear." Shang poured himself a cup of tea also and sat silently. The two sat in silence for several minutes as they sipped their tea. "If you don't want to, that is fine, I won't press it."  
  
"No, I can tell you." Yu Tien paused and took a sip of her tea. "When I was four years old, it was a very cold winter, I think that that is why my mother did it when she did. She brought me into a quiet room at the far end of our house and had Ting Ting's mother hold me down. Ting Ting was there too, come to think of it. She stood in the corner and watched wide eyed the whole time, but, anyway, my mother pulled out a thick roll of bandage and bent my left foot over as far as she could with her hands.  
  
"She then took the end of one of the rolls of the bandage and wrapped it tightly around my foot. My foot began to bend in half and I can remember feeling the bones snap. At this point I was struggling against Ting Ting's mother, Shu Fang, and my mother began to do my right foot. This time I knew what to expect and I kicked my leg. Shu Fang smacked me and I lie still crying as my mother wrapped the bandage tightly around my foot.  
  
"When she had finished Shu Fang took Ting Ting from the room and my mother beat me for crying. After that, we tightened the bandages everyday for a time, until my feet were as small as they could be."  
  
Yu Tien was pale and leaning back against the tree trunk by the time she finished her story. She held the teacup in her lap with two hands as she closed her eyes and tried to fight the painful memories back into submission.  
  
Shang leaned forward and pulled Yu Tien into his arms watching as she fought back tears. "If it means anything to you, I think you'd be beautiful even if she didn't bind your feet." He hugged her kissed the top of her head and settled her back onto the cushion. Picking up the teapot and two cups, he said, "I have to go and write a letter and I also have some paper work to finish. I will be inside if you need me." He rose and walked off to the house and Yu Tien smiled after him.  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Note: I know everyone is getting fed up with the lack of Mulan in this story. I'm planning on keeping it the way it is for a while and then writing a very Mulan-centric sequel. Please, try and bear with me for the time being.  
  
I would like to thin my friends Ivy and John for all of their help with names and historical guesswork.  
  
So, what do you think? Please, feel free to review. If there are any issues with spelling or grammar, let me know please. Thank you for reading! 


End file.
